Take God out of the Box

Be strong and courageous

“Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt, but test them all; hold on to what is good. Reject every kind of evil.”

 

I Thessalonians 5; 19-22

 

A Box is made up of four sides, a bottom and a top or lid. Once you have put something in the box and closed it you can’t use it or get it out.  You have to open the box.

How many times have we put God in a box figuratively?  Every time we say I can’t do that!

or It’s too much work..

or It will cost too much..

We don’t have enough help..

We do not want to get in trouble etc.

There are no guarantees that even when we do tackle something we will succeed.

We might plan an event and be all prepared and when the time arrives for people to start showing up the blizzard of the decade sets in and no one shows up. 

Does that mean that the next time you worry and fret about the weather?

I hope not.

I do not know anyone, but God who can control the weather.

Many of our bible characters put God in a box. Moses said I am not an eloquent speaker Lord, send Aaron. Moses was afraid that he would say the wrong thing, so he put God in a box. (Exodus 3).

Jonah put God in a box when he ran away from what God had called him to do in Nineveh.

As you know Jonah ended up in the belly of a whale and if he hadn’t turned to God he would have died there, but he opened his box and went to Nineveh and did what God had told him to do. (Jonah 1-5)

Putting God in a box takes away the blessings we could have received if we had only trusted God, just a little more.

David, in his younger years, trusted God completely.

He faced Goliath, a Giant. He only had a slingshot and a few small rocks. With God’s help, good aim, and a firm stance he defeated Goliath. (1 Samuel 17)

Of course, later in life David forgot and put God in a box. He manipulated the situation with Bathsheba.

He had her husband Uriah sent to the front of the battle, knowing full well that he would be killed, which he was, and that left Bathsheba free for him to take as his wife.

Later they both suffered the great loss of a child.  But God forgave them and later blessed them with other children.

There are consequences to putting God in a Box, just like there are consequences to sin.

God is in control, and he will bless us if we allow Him to work through us and in us.

Prayer

 

Lord, we come to you today asking for help. We ask for your help to keep us strong, help us to have courage, and also to help us to not have fear. Lord, we know that YOU have a plan for us. We know that you knew us before we were ever born. We know that you are awesome. Help us to know that we are awesome too.

God, we pray that you would help to open our eyes, heart, and mind to know that your plan for us is so much bigger than we could ever imagine. We thank you for never losing sight of us. We thank you for giving us the strength and courage to move forward, throughout every situation.

Lord, we thank you for the sacrifices that you have made for us. Thank you for everything.

Amen

 

Will you pray with us?

Mankind throughout the world throughout our current situation

All Law enforcement and emergency response personnel

For all military personal serving our country and their families

Those in Leadership positions throughout the world

Devotional Written by Cindy Greer!

Thank you Cindy for giving us insight and wisdom!

*Bonus Verse: 

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.  John 14:26